Ifsheeverworkedastroke，nooneknewit。Alldaylongshesatintheparlour，theverybestone，everyday；oronbenchesunderthetreeswithembroideryframesorbooks，someofthemfearful，big，difficultlookingones，orrodeoverthecountry。
Sherodeinsunshineandsherodeinstorm，untilyouwouldthinkshecouldn’tseeherwaythroughhertangledblackhair。Sherodethroughsnowandinpouringrain，whenshecouldhavestayedoutofit，ifshehadwantedto。Shedidn’tseemtobeafraidofanythingonearthorinHeaven。Everyonethoughtshewaslikeherfatheranddidn’tbelievetherewasanyGod；sowhenshecameamongusatchurchoranypublicgathering，asshesometimesdid，peoplewereinnohurrytobefriendly，whileshelookedstraightaheadandneverspokeuntilshewasspokento，andthenshewaspreciseandcold，Itellyou。
Mentookofftheirhats，gotoutoftheroadwhenshecamepoundingalong，andstaredafterherlike“be-addledmummies，“mymothersaid。Butthatwasallshe，oranyoneelse，couldsay。
Theyoungfellowswerewildabouther，andiftheytriedtosidleuptoherinthehopethattheymightleadherhorseorgettoholdherfootwhenshemounted，theyalwayssawwhentheyreachedher，thatshewasn’tthere。
Butshewashere！Ihadseenheronlyafewtimes，butthiswasthePryorgirl，justassureasIwouldhaveknownifithadbeenSally。WhatdazedmewasthatsheansweredineveryparticularthedescriptionLaddiehadgivenmeoftheQueen’sdaughter。Andworstofall，fromthedayshefirstcameamongus，movingsoproudandcold，blabbingoldHannahDoversaidshecarriedherselflikeaPrincess——asifHannahDoverknewHOWaPrincesscarriedherself！——everylivingsoul，myfathereven，hadcalledherthePrincess。AtfirstitwasbecauseshewasliketheythoughtaPrincesswouldbe，butlatertheydiditinmeanness，tomakefun。Aftertheyknewhername，theywereusedtocallingherthePrincess，sotheykeptitup，butsomeofthemweresecretlyproudofher；becauseshecouldlook，anddo，andbewhattheywouldhavegivenanythingto，andknewtheycouldn’ttosavethem。
Iwasneverinsuchafixinallmylife。ShelookedmoreasLaddiehadsaidthePrincesswouldthanyouwouldhavethoughtanywomancould，butshewasPamelaPryor，nevertheless。EveryonecalledherthePrincess，butshecouldn’tmakerealityoutofthat。Shejustcouldn’tbetheFairyQueen’sdaughter；sothelettercouldn’tpossiblybeforher。
Shehadnobusinessinourwoods；youcouldseethattheyhadplentyoftheirown。Shewentstraighttothedoorofthewillowroomandwalkedinasifshebelongedthere。WhatifshefoundthehollowandtookLaddie’sletter！FastasIcouldslipovertheleaves，Iwentback。Shewasonthemosscarpet，onherknees，andtheletterwasinherfingers。It’sagoodthingtohaveyourmannerssoundlythrashedintoyou。You’vegottobescaredstiffbeforeyouforgetthem。Iwasn’tsoafraidofherasIwouldhavebeenifIhadknownsheWAStheprincess，andhaveLaddiesletter，sheshouldnot。Whathadthekindofgirlshewas，fromahomelikehers，toteachanyonefromourhouseaboutmakingsunshine？Iwasatthewillowwallbythattimepeeringthrough，soIjustparteditalittleandsaid：“Pleaseputbackthatletterwhereyougotit。Itisn’tforyou。“
Shekneltonthemosses，theletterinherhand，andherface，assheturnedtome，wasratherstartled；butwhenshesawmeshelaughed，andsaidinthesweetestvoiceIeverheard：“Areyousoverysureofthat？“
“WellIoughttobe，“Isaid。“Iputitthere。“
“MightIinquireforwhomyouputitthere？“
“Noma’am！That’sasecret。“
Youshouldhaveseenthelightflameinhereyes，thereddeepenonhercheeks，andthelittlecurloflaughterthatcurvedherlips。
“Howinteresting！“shecried。“IwondernowifyouarenotLittleSister。“
“IamtoLaddieandourfolks，“Isaid。“Youareastranger。“
Allthedancinglightswentfromherface。Shelookedasifsheweregoingtocryunlessshehurriedupandswalloweditdownhardandfast。
“Thatisquitetrue，“shesaid。“Iamastranger。Doyouknowthatbeingastrangeristhehardestthingthatcanhappentoanyoneinallthisworld？“
“Thenwhydon’tyouopenyourdoors，inviteyourneighboursin，gotoseethem，andstopyourfatherfromsayingsuchdreadfulthings？“
“Theyarenotmydoors，“shesaid，“andcouldyoukeepyourfatherfromsayinganythinghechooses？“
Istoodandblinkedather。OfcourseIwouldn’tevendaretrythat。
“I’msosorry，“wasallIcouldthinktosay。
Icouldn’taskhertocometoourhouse。Iknewnoonewantedher。ButifIcouldn’tspeakfortheothers，surelyImightformyself。Iletgothewillowsandwenttothedoor。ThePrincessaroseandsatontheseatLaddiehadmadefortheQueen’sdaughter。Itwasanawfulpitytotellhersheshouldn’tsitthere，forIhadmydoubtsifthereal，truePrincesswouldbehalfaslovelywhenshecame——ifsheeverdid。SomewaythePrincess，whowasnotaPrincess，appearedsoreal，Icouldn’tkeepfrombecomingconfusedandforgettingthatshewasonlyjustPamelaPryor。AlreadythelovelylightshadgonefromherfaceuntilitmademesosadIwantedtocry，andIwasnoeasycry-
babyeither。IfIcouldn’tofferfriendshipformyfamilyI
wouldformyself。
“YoumaycallmeLittleSister，ifyoulike，“Isaid。“Iwon’tbeastranger。“
“Whyhowlovely！“criedthePrincess。
Youshouldhaveseenthedancinglightsflybacktohereyes。
Probablyyouwon’tbelievethis，butthefirstthingIknewIwasbesideheronthethrone，herarmwasaroundme，andit’sthegospeltruththatshehuggedmetight。IjusthadsenseenoughtoreachoverandpickLaddie’sletterfromherfingers，andthenIwasonherside。Idon’tknowwhatshedidtome，butallatonceIknewthatshewasdreadfullylonely；thatshehatedbeingastranger；thatshewassorryenoughtocrybecausetheirhousewasoneofmystery，andthatshewouldopenthedoorifshecould。
“Ilikeyou，“Isaid，reachinguptotouchhercurls。
IneverhadseenherthatIdidnotwantto。TheywerelikeI
thoughttheywouldbe。FatherandLaddieandsomeofushadwavyhair，butherswascrisp——anditclungtoyourfingers，andwrappedaroundthemandseemedtotugatyourheartlikeitdoeswhenababygripsyou。Idrewawaymyhand，andthehairstretchedoutuntilitwaslongasanyofours，andthencurledupagain，andyoucouldseethatnotinshadstabbedintoherheadtomakethosecurls。Ibegantryingtosingleoutonehair。
“Whatareyoudoing？“sheasked。
“Iwanttoknowifonlyonehairisstrongenoughtodrawadrowningmanfromthewaterorstrangleanunhappyone，“Isaid。
“Believeme，no！“criedthePrincess。“ItwouldtakeallIhave，wovenintoarope，todothat。“
“Laddieknowscurlsthatjustonehairofthemisstrongenough，“
Iboasted。
“Iwondernow！“saidthePrincess。“IthinkhemusthavebeenmakingpoetryortellingFairytales。“
“Hewastellingthetruth，“Iassuredher。“Fatherdoesn’tbelieveinFairies，andmotherlaughs，butLaddieandIknow。DoyoubelieveinFairies？“
“OfcourseIdo！“shesaid。
“ThenyouknowthatthisCOULDbeanEnchantedWood？“
“Ihavefounditso，“saidthePrincess。
“AndMAYBEthisisaMagicCarpet？“
“ItsurelyisaMagicCarpet。“
“AndyoumightbethedaughteroftheQueen？Youreyesare`moonlitpoolsofdarkness。’Ifonlyyourhairwerestronger，andyouknewaboutmakingsunshine！“
“MaybeitisstrongerthanIthink。Itneverhasbeentested。
PerhapsIdoknowaboutmakingsunshine。PossiblyIamastrueasthewoodandthecarpet。“
Idrewawayandstaredather。ThelongerIlookedthemoreuncertainIbecame。MaybehermotherwastheQueen。Perhapsthatwasthemystery。Itmightbethereasonshedidn’twantthepeopletoseeher。MaybeshewassobusymakingsunshineforthePrincesstobringtoLaddiethatshehadnotimetosewcarpetrags，andtogotoquiltings，andfunerals，andmakevisits。Itwashardtoknowwhattothink。
“Iwishyou’dtellmeplainoutifyouaretheQueen’sdaughter，“
Isaid。“It’smostimportant。Youcan’thavethisletterunlessIKNOW。It’stheveryfirsttimeLaddieevertrustedmewithaletter，andIjustcan’tgiveittothewrongperson。“
“Thenwhydon’tyouleaveitwherehetoldyou？“
“Butyouhavegoneandfoundtheplace。Youstartedtotakeitonce；youwouldagain，soonasIleft。“
“Lookmestraightintheeyes，LittleSister，“saidthePrincesssoftly。“AmIlikeapersonwhowouldtakeanythingthatdidn’tbelongtoher？“
“No！“Isaidinstantly。
“HowdoyouthinkIhappenedtocometothisplace？“
“Maybeourwoodsareprettierthanyours。“
“HowdoyouthinkIknewwheretheletterwas？“
Ishookmyhead。
“IfIshowyousomeothersexactlyliketheoneyouhavethere，thenwillyoubelievethatisforme？“
“Yes，“Ianswered。
Ibelieveditanyway。ItjustSEEMEDso，thebetteryouknewher。ThePrincessslippedherhandamongthefoldsofthetrailingpalegreenskirt，andfromahiddenpocketdrewotherlettersexactlyliketheoneIheld。SheopenedoneandranherfingeralongthetoplineandIread，“TothePrincess，“andthenshepointedtotheendinganditwasmerelysigned，“Laddie，“butallthewordswrittenbetweenwerehiswriting。SlowlyIhandedhertheletter。
“Youdon’twantmetohaveit？“sheasked。
“Yes，“Isaid。“IwantyoutohaveitifLaddiewroteitforyou——butmotherandfatherwon’t，notatall。“
“Whatmakesyouthinkso？“sheaskedgently。
“Don’tyouknowwhatpeoplesayaboutyou？“
“Someofit，perhaps。“
“Well？“
“Doyouthinkitistrue？“
“Notthatyou’restuckup，andhatefulandproud，notthatyoudon’twanttobeneighbourlywithotherpeople，no，Idon’tthinkthat。ButyourfathersaidinourhomethattherewasnoGod，andyouwouldn’tletmymotherinwhensheputonherbestdressandwentinthecarriage，andwantedtobefriends。Ihavetobelievethat。“
“Yes，youcan’thelpbelievingthat，“saidthePrincess。
“Thencan’tyouseewhyyou’llbelikelytoshowLaddiethewaytofindtrouble，insteadofsunshine？“
“Icansee，“saidthePrincess。
“OhPrincess，youwon’tdoit，willyou？“Icried。
“Don’tyouthinksuchabigmanasLaddiecantakecareofhimself？“sheasked，andthedancinglightsthathadbeguntofadecameback。“Overthere，“shepointedthroughourwoodstowardthesouthwest，“livesamanyouknow。Whatdohisneighbourscallhim？“
“Stiff-neckedJohnny，“Iansweredpromptly。
“Andthemanwholivesnexthim？“
“Pinch-fistWilliams。“
Herfingerveeredtoanotherneighbour’s。
“Thegirlsofthathouse？“
“Giggle-headSmithsons。“
“Whataboutthemanwholivesoverthere？“
“Hebeatshiswife。“
“Andthehousebeyond？“
“Motherwhispersaboutthem。Idon’tknow。“
“Andthewomanonthehill？“
“Shedoesn’tdoanythingbutgussipandmakeeveryonetrouble。“
“Exactly！“saidthePrincess。“Yetmostofthesepeoplecometoyourhouse，andyourfamilygoestotheirs。Doyousupposepeopletheyknownothingaboutaresomuchworsethantheseothers？“
“IfyourfatherwilltakeitbackaboutGod，andyourmotherwillletpeoplein——mymotherandfatherbothwantedtobefriends，youknow。“
“ThatIcan’tpossiblydo，“shesaid，“butmaybeIcouldchangetheirfeelingstowardme。“
“Doit！“Icried。“Oh，I’djustloveyoutodoit！Iwishyouwouldcometoourhouseandbefriends。Sallyisprettyasyouare，onlyadifferentway，andIknowshe’dlikeyou，andsowouldShelley。IfLaddiewritesyoulettersandcomeshereaboutsunshine，ofcoursehe’dbedelightedifmotherknewyou；becausesheloveshimbestofanyofus。Shedependsonhimmostasmuchasfather。“